I don’t totally remember the details of the girls joining us but the more the merrier!!!! ….and off we went shooting a few in their field and then out on location.  We visited beautiful Fales River in Greenwood, a location I had never been to before, its funny how you live in a place for a long time and there are always beautiful places you over look!  The best thing about living in the Annapolis Valley is the lovely apple orchards everywhere.  Thanks to Gordon Spurr for letting us have the ability to shoot in one of his many Orchards.  Here are a few Images from their Engagement session/Family shoot

Being a photographer, you would think I would print my images a lot more than I do, I print some but not nearly as much as I should.   I want my daughter to be able to look back at these images when she is older and show her children.  She won’t be able to do that if they are stuck on a out dated disk somewhere, corrupted over time and un-usable . Just think of how digital storage media has changed over the past 15 years.   Most people don’t realize that after a few years most disks will start to corrupt.  You can back up, your back ups, but why do that when  you can get those images printed and let them see the light of day.

So this is my plan, which I have already set it in motion.  I have began to order albums that will hold my family’s memories for years to come, just like my parents did when I was younger.   I will get as many as my images printed as I can.  I might even make a photobook  or two and have them printed.  I loved sitting in my parents house, going through the old albums.   Some of the images and albums might be a little tattered and worn, but they are still there!!  Many times I have heard of friends loosing their images, from their computers from failing hard drives or other unforeseen  computer problems. Loosing years of images, and no way to every get them back.

My challenge to anyone reading this post: Get out those family images you have stored on your computers, disks, and media, and print !!!  Create an amazing family album that you will be proud of.

HAPPY PRINTING!!!! 

Speaking of Blog, and website.  Ryan Hunley of Second Street Creative will be helping me develop my integrated blogsite.  For those not aware of what that is, its a combination of my website and my blog.  So you know what that means!  I need to blog waaaaay more than I was.  I know this is the direction I want to take my business.  It will be more ME!  Ryan has already helped me develop my new logo, which you see on the top of my blog, on my facebook page and on my splash page of my website, as well as my business cards.  It totally speaks me, and my style.  If you need to refine your brand or are in need of a great Graphic Designer, Ryan is the Best.  He knew exactly what I was thinking!  So in the next few months you will see a change to my website and blog, it will be the new me!  Definitely long overdue.

I hope 2012 will be a great year for me.   I have two exciting trips scheduled for this year all ready.  One is shooting my Cousin Emily’s wedding in St. John, New Brunswick.  Which I am absolutely excited about.  I remember when her parents brought her to visit in Nova Scotia once, she was probably only 11  at the time, and she was too cute.  Its so hard to believe she is a grown woman now, and a wonderful actress Check her out here, and marrying the love of her life on Thanksgiving weekend of this year! 

The next trip which comes a few weeks after Emily’s wedding is Marcus and Amanda’s wedding in Wales, UK.  I have the honour of shooting their wedding as well, and I can’t wait to see all of my friends in Wales.  Zelda, and the boys,  Lexie, and everyone I met back in 2008, when I photographed Zelda’s wedding a Ruthin Castle.  I first befriended Zelda and Lexie way back in 2004, and I am so glad we became friends, its been a blast.  Now it’s Marcus, their brother’s  turn to tie the knot!  I’ve Already met the lovely Amanda, as her and Marcus were dating since 2008 when I last visited.  I will definitely enjoy my visit.

I am looking forward to posting on the blog more.  It will be a challenge for me as I sometimes find it hard putting my thoughts into words!  In the next few days I will be posting some of my favourite images from 2011.  I hope to see you back soon!

Their Wedding date was August 20th, 2011.  I arrived at Jessica’s parent’s house the afternoon of the wedding, and was greeted by her mother and father and the rest of her family.  One thing I notice about the feeling at the moment was that Jessica was extremely calm!   Her mother commented on Jessica’s calmness, and how it reflected on everyone else, and she was right.

Jessica and Robert were to be married in the same church that Robert is a Minister at.  You can tell his congregation has a lot of respect and admiration for Robert, the Church was full, and there were so many smiles as  Jessica began her walk down the aisle with her dad.  She was beautiful, and her Bride’s Maids looked lovely in their purple dresses.  I thought it  was awesome that Robert had chose purple for his shirt, I joked with Michael my Second photographer that michael somehow new the color tone of the day as he wore a purple shirt too.  He blended right in with the Groomsmen and Groom!

The ceremony was lovely, Fort Anne was their location for their formal portraits, which was the same place we did their engagement session!  Here are a few images from their wedding day.  Congratulations Jessica and Robert, best wishes to both of you and your new life together!  Thank you to Michael Carty for being my Second Photographer for the day!

Sometimes people come into your life and you know right away that they were meant to be there, to serve some sort of purpose, teach you a lesson, or to help you figure out who you are or who you want to become. You never know who these people may be (possibly your roommate,neighbor, coworker, longlost friend, lover, or even a complete stranger) but when you lock eyes with them, you know at that very moment that they will affect your life in some profound way.

And sometimes things happen to you that may seem horrible, painful, and unfair at first, but in reflection you find that without overcoming those obstacles you would have never realized your potential, strength, willpower, or heart.

Everything happens for a reason. Nothing happens by chance or by means of luck. Illness, injury, love, lost moments of true greatness, and sheer stupidity all occur to test the limits of your soul. Without these small tests, whatever they may be, life would be like a smoothly paved, straight, flat road to nowhere. It would be safe and comfortable, but dull and utterly pointless.

The people you meet who affect your life, and the success and downfalls you experience help to create who you become. Even the bad experiences can be learned from. In fact, they are probably the most poignant and important ones. If someone hurts you, betrays you, or breaks your heart, forgive them, for they have helped you learn about trust and the importance of being cautious when you open your heart. If someone loves you, love them back unconditionally, not only because they love you, but because in a way, they are teaching you to love and how to open your heart and eyes to things.

Make every day count!!! Appreciate every moment and take from those moments everything that you possibly can for you may never be able to experience it again. Talk to people that you have never talked to before,and actually listen. Let yourself fall in love, break free, and set your sights high. Hold your head up because you have every right to. Tell yourself you are a great individual and believe in yourself, for if you don’t believe in yourself, it will be hard for others to believe in you. You can make of your life anything you wish. Create your own life then go out and live it with absolutely no regrets.

*MOST IMPORTANTLY!!!* If you LOVE someone tell him or her, for you never know what tomorrow may have in store!!!